Top Picks: PBS's 'Weekend in Havana,' Richard Russo's 'Trajectory,' and more

The ParkMe app lists prices, shows availability, and in some cases lets you book a parking spot ahead of time, Hudson's album of the same name brings together four of the world’s greatest musical improvisers, and more top picks.

Great improvisation

Assemble four of the world’s greatest musical improvisers in a studio in fabled Woodstock, N.Y., and what you get is Hudson, a jazz supergroup, which recently released an album of the same name. Ageless drummer Jack DeJohnette drives this fine-tuned vehicle, contributing two of the album’s most beautiful tracks. On elastic, emotive guitar is the ubercool John Scofield, and John Medeski contributes funkified organ and piano. It’s all anchored by bassist Larry Grenadier. Also very present are the mischievous auras of local legends Bob Dylan and The Band, whose songs are covered by Hudson for the album.

Parking guidance

Heading to the city and looking for recommendations on where to park your car? The ParkMe app lists prices, shows availability, and in some cases lets you book a parking spot ahead of time. The app is free for iOS and Android and is available for cities around the world, including New York, Paris, and Rome.

Cuba peek

With more Americans recently being allowed to travel to Cuba, we now know more than we have in decades about how those on the Caribbean island nation live their lives. Host Geoffrey Baer travels there for the new PBS program Weekend in Havana, where Baer attempts to see the sights that most tourists don’t experience. “Weekend in Havana” debuts July 18 at 8 p.m.

Pathos, humor

In Trajectory, Richard Russo focuses on two kinds of people he’s mined for pathos and humor in his work: college professors and novelists dabbling in screenplays. (Hey, write what you know.) Russo remains an entertaining and interesting writer, even when he’s serving up side dishes such as these. 

Childhood depiction

In the movie My Life as a Zucchini, young Icare (voiced by Gaspard Schlatter) arrives at an orphanage for children who have had difficult lives. Monitor film critic Peter Rainer writes, “There’s an encompassing sense of wonderment in this film that allows for both sadness and transcendent uplift. This is what you would expect from a movie that tries to get childhood right, for a change.” “My Life as a Zucchini” is available on DVD and Blu-ray.